CHICAGO (April 6, 2023) - Loyola softball (12-17, 6-3) takes to the road for the second straight weekend. This time the Ramblers head to Amherst, Massachusetts to take on the UMass Minutewomen. Friday's doubleheader has been pushed back to a 1 and 3 p.m. CT doubleheader, while Saturday will close with an 11 a.m. CT first pitch. The first two games can be watched on ESPN3, while Saturday will be accessible on ESPN+.
LEADING OFF
• The Ramblers continue their road trip with a three-game series at UMass this Friday and Saturday before the Easter holiday. Loyola sits third, while UMass is eighth in the A-10 standings ahead of the weekend.
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Andie Broniewicz claimed A-10 Pitcher of the Week honors this week following her performance against Bradley and St. Bonaventure. She posted her first career no-hitter against the Braves and earned her fourth straight win against the Bonnies with a career-high seven strikeouts.
• Broniewicz's no-hitter is the eighth tossed in program history and second by a Rambler this season.
Peyton Pepkowski held Butler without a hit earlier this season, which also brought Loyola Pitcher of the Week honors.
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Amelia Thomas continues to lead the Rambler hitting .338 at the plate. She has a team-best 27 hits this season.
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Sydney Barnett (.318) and
Tori Boysen (.300) have hit a hot streak Loyola. Barnett has a team-high six doubles and 13 RBI, while Boysen is up to 15 hits.
• For the second time this season, the Ramblers notched double-figure hits. At St. Bonaventure, Loyola tallied 10 hits in a 10-1 win in game two. The Ramblers also recorded 10 in a 10-7 win against Bradley.
• In the SBU win, three Ramblers tallied two hits each.
Haley Wallace finished 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored.
Hannah Nalley went 2-for-3 with three RBI, while Barnett was 2-for-4 with one RBI.
• Pepkowski also had a solid outing inn the circle against the Bonnies. She earned her seventh win of the season with a high of 12 strikeouts. She was just one shy of matching her career-best.
• Head coach
Alicia Abbott is in her fourth year at the helm. During her tenure, the Ramblers are 54-85.
SCOUTING THE UMASS MINUTEWOMEN
UMass has won three of its last five games heading into the weekend sitting at 10-19 overall. So far in A-10 action, the Minutewomen are 2-6 with a win against Dayton and Saint Louis. This week tipped off at UConn with a 5-0 loss to the Huskies, but UMass split it's two-game series with Saint Louis last weekend with a 4-3 win and 12-1 loss. As a whole, the team has struggled at the plate combining for a .264 batting average to rank eighth in the A-10. Pitching also ranks near the bottom in ninth with a 4.78 ERA.
MINUTEWOMEN TO WATCH
• Chloe Whittier leads UMass batting .349 this season. In 87 at-bats, the junior has logged 30 total hits, including five doubles and one homer. She has 12 runs and 12 RBI this season. She is also a threat on the base path with 10 stolen bases on 12 attempts.
• Jules Shields also steps up at the plate for the Minutewomen hitting .314 this year. She has 22 hits, which includes a team-high six doubles. She has two home runs, 14 RBI, and 10 runs this year.
• In the circle, Julianne Bolton has appeared in 15 games, made 10 starts, and completed seven games to be the team's go-to pitcher this season. She has a 5.08 ERA with a 2-8 record. Bolton also leads UMass with 56 strikeouts.
SERIES HISTORY
UMass leads the all-time series 1-0 after winning the lone meeting back in 2010, 4-2.
